I was listening to the radio the other day and they played Jessica by the Allman Brothers. I got to thinking how much I miss hearing instrumentals. What ever happened to bands just jammin' out? I miss them alot. I also miss the seventeen minute long songs like the Dead have and so mnay other bands. One of my favorites is the 23 minute version of Thick as a Brick. WTF happened to music today????

JimJamBonds

12-31-2005, 12:56 AM

I guess everybody has something to say but it just doesn't take them all that long to say it. :D

Bacta Beast

12-31-2005, 01:28 AM

Video killed the radio star! And then the video star too!

Slicker

12-31-2005, 01:30 AM

Instrumentals would involve actually knowing how to play an instrument. Most of the damn music nowadays is synthesizers. It's really sad if you think about it. Like when I was listening to holiday Christmas music I listen for the instrumentals and that's the best part of it. That's probably why I don't like newer Christmas songs is just because of that. I also listen to alot of oldies.

starwarsfan1

12-31-2005, 12:44 PM

I dont know about you guys but most music these days is just a load of crap. Whatever happened to music that actually used instruments and required talent? I love all the music from the 60's and 70's, especially the Beatles and Rolling Stones. These guys actually had brains in there head, other then the crappy rappers who dont have enough brains to fill an egg cup.

Kidhuman

12-31-2005, 01:12 PM

I dont know about you guys but most music these days is just a load of crap. Whatever happened to music that actually used instruments and required talent? I love all the music from the 60's and 70's, especially the Beatles and Rolling Stones. These guys actually had brains in there head, other then the crappy rappers who dont have enough brains to fill an egg cup.

Its not only rap music, its all music. Rock music all sounds the same. There are no distinguishing talents out there. Back in the day everyone sounded different, Beatles, Dead ,Stones, Zep, Floyd, The Who, and so on. Nowadays its all the same lame stuff. No one wants to take a step further and be creative.

Blue2th

12-31-2005, 01:16 PM

Instrumentals would involve actually knowing how to play an instrument. Most of the damn music nowadays is synthesizers. It's really sad if you think about it. Like when I was listening to holiday Christmas music I listen for the instrumentals and that's the best part of it. That's probably why I don't like newer Christmas songs is just because of that. I also listen to alot of oldies.
I tend to agree with you on the synthesized music, though it is written for musicians by technicians on computer and sequenced to a click track that the so-called musicians onstage if any, can follow along. Unless they are miming, which happens alot. They are too worried about how they will look in front of a camera to actually learn an instrument. Gone are the days before the "Hit Making Machine." Even bands who were considered excellent musicians had to cut their songs down to 3 or 4 minutes to survive. If you really want to hear some excellent "synthesized" music, try listening to Genesis "And then there were three" this stuff is pre- Abacab. Before Phil got a big head. Tony Banks is just amazing. He actually had to play his keyboards. Some of us remember Yes "Close to the edge" If you can get past the elf vocals the synth playing on this record has never been equaled. Can you imagine the equipment these guys had to lug around? They couldn't store all their sounds on a laptop. The record companies seem to have forgotten that music or long instumental passages can put the listener in an almost cinematic place, where you can picture things in your imagination. Like a good long Peter Jackson movie you have to go back and watch (listen) again to catch the details. In a world of commercialized instant gratification, peoples attention spans are too short for such music to make any impact again.

El Chuxter

01-02-2006, 12:34 PM

Synthesizers should die. :mad:

Joe Perry had a couple of instrumentals on his last album, but he's still considered old school, methinks. I can't think of too many others recently.

It's not only instrumentals, but the underlying tracks. Where were you when you first actually heard that awesome bassline in "Lovefool" after you finally tuned out the repetitive "love me, love me" nonsense and realized that their bass player was actually pretty wicked? Or is that a separate thread?

Kidhuman

01-02-2006, 12:36 PM

Me would say Mr. Perry is old school. And for the Bass, yes it is a seperate thread, so get to a posting.

El Chuxter

01-02-2006, 02:26 PM

Okay, sorry for the faux pas (sp?). :p

I just recalled that the Allmans had an excellent instrumental called (appropriately enough) "Instrumental Illness" on Hitting the Note, which came out about two years or so ago. It's a great album. Someone told them to stop pretending to be country and go back to the southern-fried blues rock, and they brought on Derek Trucks as lead guitarist. That boy's the closest they've had to Duane since Duane passed on. :( He's no Duane, since that's almost like saying he's a Hendrix, but he's about as close as mortals can strive to be.

Bacta Beast

01-02-2006, 03:53 PM

Synthesizers should die. :mad:

Synthesizers (when used correctly) ROCK!!! And they need to be brought back!!!:D

El Chuxter

01-02-2006, 04:13 PM

A'ight, I'll concede that used properly and in moderation, synthesizers can be useful. You get Queen's The Game album. When overused, you get Queen's Hot Space, which not even a fan can love (outside of the two singles).

Blue2th

01-02-2006, 04:52 PM

It's funny now that in alot of modern music a synthesizer is considered "old School" All they need now is a record scatcher and a rubber ducky squeek toy. I remember when the worlds greatest shredder Eddie Van Halen took up the synth, people right away knocked him for it. He was actually very good at it. Really though, I miss even a short instumental section in todays music. Most songs don't even have a lead anymore! Probably because all the good guitarists are too old to look good in front of a camera. Even lead guitar with a few exceptions (Metal) is becoming a lost art.

mabudonicus

01-03-2006, 04:48 PM

OKAY, time to be the bad guy :beard:

Seriously though, basically, something of what blu2th said is pretty much at the core, but he didn't get into the "how and why" as much, so here goes....

The "rise of the virtuoso" in pop music started in the late 60's and I'm not talking about extremely competent musicians, I'm talking about folks who were nearly MADE of musical talent... the jazz scene had seen it's share of these since somewhere in the 20's, but it took a while fo it to truly catch on, and technological advances aided in this.. by the early 80's you had the NWOBHM and a LOT of them guys were AMAZING.. even on mainstream radio, there was a lot of virtusity in the solos (van halen being a good example) or what otherwise could still pass as "hard pop" music (especially looking back on it from today)

BUT the music industry basically decided that it was going to present that as "hair metal" and "silly show off-manship" so you ended up with a LOT of really weird music which did feature less actual musical skill, like say the Spin Doctors etc, who were pretty darn good, musically, but not mindblowing (and I play guitar and have for a long time plus worked in a recording studio, I know what is "poor", "decent" "good" "amazing" and "superhuman" VERY well)

THEN once everyone was good and ready, the industry DUMBED it DOON severely.... then you got bands like Nirvana, and the Hip and Pearl Jam, who ere musically pretty lam, but marketeed SO brilliantly (both in the actual advertising and creative control departments) and whattya know, solso becam almost non-existent... see, you can easily replace a "really scompetent" player, but imagine trying to take Jimi out of the Experience, or Eddie Van outta Van Halen, you COULDN't do it

todays "acts" are much more modular, since as some above posts mentioned, the "acts" are just faces for a product, and just like factory worked, they know that if someone don't like the deal they're handed they can be replaced...
There's still some AMAZING instrumental music coming out, but most of the "music buying public" has been convinced that it is silly in so many ways, so it is mostly available in Germany wher ethe REAL METAL still exiosts...

On a side note, I'm no fan of audioslave, but I swear I nearly passed out when I heard a what, 8 BAR solo (a DAMN good one, and BTW if it is actually a velvet revolver song, sorry for the mistake, it kinda sounds like Slash's sensibility only a bit less sloppy) in that current "big" single, something like "it doesn't remind me of anything"

Yeah, that Tom Morello guy is amazing. I remember when the song "Like a Stone" came out, everyone went out and bought a Wammy pedal to recreate that amazing lead. I found the sound already existed on my Boss GT-5, so my band ended up doing that one. Nice to hear an almost anti-soloist like him. He keeps it fresh by changing the sound. I think that the "Hair Bands" while alot of them were very good at virtuosity, it seemed it was getting a little silly after a while. Like athletes competing to see who could play the best and fastest, and look the best on MTV. I do like some of the wierd chord changes and moods you get with new music, but like you say there is not much virtuosity. That's why I'm still a big fan of the "Art Rock" bands of the late 70's like Floyd, Genesis, Yes, Rush, even Zeppelin and some obscure stuff, etc. It's a real treat to listen once again to LONG instumentals with plenty of virtuosity, yet not overplaying one instument but all get their share of the big picture.

El Chuxter

01-04-2006, 09:40 AM

Speaking of instrumentals, check out "Peaches en Regalia" and "Sexual Harassment in the Workplace" by Frank Zappa. Two totally different styles, two incredible instrumentals.

arctangent

01-04-2006, 10:56 AM

when you are all saying 'oh, rock music all sounds the same' what you really mean is mainstream rock music all sounds the same. there are plenty of bands out there doing different things - you are just not being spoonfed them. try looking. anyone who would like to try some different sounding 'rock' music could do worse than check out the band Opeth - they don't sound like anything or anyone else.

as for instrumentals, for christams i was given 'the fire in our throats will beckon the thaw' by pelican. all seven songs are completely instrumental. also much of the music by isis is instrumental and when there are lyrics being sung they are so far down the mix they too sound like another instrument. its pretty heavy stuff (isis sounds like tectonic plates shifting) but again, its different to what the mainstream offers.

also for christmas i got the R30 dvd/cd package. thirty years in the music business and they still sound unique too.

JimJamBonds

01-04-2006, 11:00 AM

Speaking of instrumentals, check out "Peaches en Regalia" and "Sexual Harassment in the Workplace" by Frank Zappa. Two totally different styles, two incredible instrumentals.

Good call with suggesting Zappa! :thumbsup:

Mad Slanted Powers

01-21-2006, 05:19 PM

Just about every Fugazi album has an instrumental song on it. They are one of my favorite bands.

Last year, I happened to hear Kinski's latest album streamed from Sub-Pop's website. An entirely instrumental album if I recall. Maybe a little like Sonic Youth but without the vocals. I've been meaning to buy it sometime.

I agree with arctangent's assessment. There is plenty of good music out there, it's just a little hard to find if you are only listening to mainstream radio.

I actually like a lot of synthesizer/keyboard stuff. It kind of defines some of my favorite music from the new wave era - The first two Cars albums (consider the song "Night Spots"), The Fine Art of Surfacing by The Boomtown Rats, "(I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea" by Elvis Costello. I also like the keyboards in some newer songs like "Bandages" by Hot Hot Heat. The last few years, I've gotten into the ambient/electronic/new age/space music that I heard on an internet station called Astreaux World. Also, I've been fans of Devo and Kraftwerk for a long time.

Oh, and I just remembered another great instrumental song from years ago - "Coast to Coast" by the Scorpions.

arctangent

01-23-2006, 09:15 AM

Just about every Fugazi album has an instrumental song on it. They are one of my favorite bands.

oh yes indeedy! arpeggiator is one of my favourite instrumentals ever. top song. you are going waaaaay back into the mists of time with that scorpions song though!

i think record companies always get a bit jittery with instrumentals though - i remmebr several years ago karma to burn wanted to release an all instrumental album and not have song titles either and their record company threw a fit and refused to relase it.

JEDIpartner

02-16-2006, 03:21 PM

Instrumentals would involve actually knowing how to play an instrument. Most of the damn music nowadays is synthesizers.

"Do you think they play themselves?", asked the keyboardist.

I seem to recall spending a lot of time in the studio laying down keyboard parts and programming sequences and drum patterns. I guess the fact that I can also play a piano live and actually sing doesn't factor into that whole goofy statement you made. :rolleyes:

2-1B

02-16-2006, 09:41 PM

The rebirth of Spinal Tap mark II attempted to relaunch the popularity of instrumentals but audiences weren't ready to embrace Derek Smalls' songwriting.

JimJamBonds

02-17-2006, 12:10 PM

The rebirth of Spinal Tap mark II attempted to relaunch the popularity of instrumentals but audiences weren't ready to embrace Derek Smalls' songwriting.

Perhaps had promotor's should put "Spinal Tap" ahead of "Puppet Show" the audience would have embraced it more/better.

2-1B

02-18-2006, 12:23 AM

But at least it really put things into perspective. ;)

"Derek Smalls, he wrote this." Bummm Buh duh bumm BUMMMMM

JimJamBonds

02-18-2006, 12:41 AM

Chuck Norris decided he'd had enough of instrumentals and wanted to hear more lyrics.

mabudonicus

02-24-2006, 09:43 AM

But at least it really put things into perspective.
Yeah... too MUCH F%$*ing perspective :beard:

2-1B

12-27-2007, 10:33 PM

God damnit mabs, now I gotta watch it again. I can't get enough of that movie. :D

Tonysmo

12-31-2007, 01:35 AM

I too miss great instrumentals. Dont forget that Triumph's album Thunder 7 was totally bada** and included a few great instrumentals

TeeEye7

01-04-2008, 02:45 AM

When was the last time you've heard "So-and-so's a great lead guitarist" or drummer? It died out in the '80's, kiddies (golden years in the 60's and 70's).

When I grew up there were things called MUSICIANS! :yes:

Nowadays: noisemakers and three-cord-wonders. :sleeping:

El Chuxter

01-04-2008, 12:22 PM

I heard that about Tom Morello and Jack White.

JON9000

01-25-2008, 10:57 AM

The Beastie Boys last album was composed entirely of instrumentals. It is hard to believe now, but when "Licensed to Ill" came out, they were about as much a marketing package as any other recording artist we now find so fit to hold up for derision.

NIN albums often have one or two instrumentals, although I haven't heard "Year Zero" yet.

If you want newer, less packaged music, seek it out in your local venues.

El Chuxter

01-25-2008, 11:52 AM

I was going to mention Derek Trucks, but it looks like I already did. Most of his solo output is instrumental. Mostly blues and rock guitar, but a heavy mix of world music and jazz in there as well. Very awesome stuff.

He's one of those guys who can't sing, and doesn't try. His wife's already a damned fine singer, so he just noodles on her albums when he wants vocals. (Or, occasionally, has her sing on one of his tracks.)

Devil King

02-06-2008, 09:47 PM

There are a number of recent instrumentals, they're just typically released as b-sides on singles. And singles are more and more a rarity item, since most retailers are fadding them out.

Slicker

02-07-2008, 06:16 AM

If you want people that can shred then look no further than Dragonforce! If you've played Guitar Hero III you know what I mean.

I seriously couldn't believe that they just formed. They sound and even look like they're from the 80's.